Illuminated level.



W. H. ROBERTSON. KLLUMINAT'ED LEVEL.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 3,1917.

Patented Nov. 20,1517.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

with info:-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE To it "Milk 3'! may c'wzrmrnl 11:.- it lam-m1 that. I Emma H. Bournarm, a citizen 0!, thuuultecl States, msiclin at rmflitur. in the count (if Pntmmf-aq State of New York, haw: im'e-ntml' mew. and 119BU|IIIIPUWMJBIIH in lii uminntad'l-cvals, of Wllifihll'm fulldwing is nrspecillmlon. 'I'hisim'emion mines w in'ipmvuments in spirit levels tiw primary object of the invenliim to pmvidu a. l avellmving means: for illuminating Liar: law-.1 lndimtm' or indicators theamf, vrbumby tho have! Inna b used with convmienm uL night nr in du Ind ohilnnril'y humble places, lowing E upcailor to readily le el or plumb hi5 work 'uudar nll comiibiona n! mrvioe, m nd whweby him have} ii ful thnr adaphxl for 12-11 as a mum: t or lump, allowing tin: op-

orator to I f his' wnyhiifi tiyworaing rlnrk streets 01 mm writ nu; ity.

A {Hither 011%; of the invention is lie pmvid an illilmlnltihg level and lumb m1- lnlring level, and lamb indicator: nf Llu: Enbble liulw type. n' min pllwisiuu is; mack:

easily and mammal-wily illuminating either level. tube uh will, Llxu wnatmctifln iming much that all the pun-la um'lmnml :nul pmtmtd within the body or said: of tin: iniirnmant, and yl. may be madilp and com 2|]- vcnianl lj' mnurccl for m mics n1 mpiamcmit whenever noceaazry.

Afiiild'miher nihjpcn oi the invent-inn is to {arm-H10 Inc-Misfor numnling the ballury Mill lumps in web a manner sus tn Elli-dimly cushion them ,apiinst, sharks "ml jam m that damage to (hiwurlting' India will be! Ni'flliufll are when Elm. ie-wal. is rou hly unified A still further ohjmt if tlminvention is tc Frill-Film .l'l simple omk lmmiiim of illumiimtcxl level which may he manufm'zl-u m1 and mid at; uckmpnrufivfiy Inw uusL and which al- 1mm ordinary dry buttery mils and standard uleatriabulhq ofdusirod cnmllupnwer m be 45 allied. i

" *Wihll than and Mimi. niijmia in view. thu invention mmlkts-ot'tl-w fermims of consfitmfinn, qmihimtiap illlfil urrnnganrimit. 0! pm; 'lkelili' iaflur fully clmlb-exl and flflhnunn of Later Pa but.

. h -plufllvn an m a, mu. sum m. 1M1.

Fig. 1* is: a vertiml-longimdirnni ch ti'muu h H pun'ilm 0! Lin stocko'n in lnrgrc stain, elaowing the bubble "taibq illuminatingmenhqmsm.

Fig. .1 ii: 11 him- 111mm viawgbl fin-n of rlmstqck showing the switch mg slidc and the coverfur qunmhn'g pmwuling the Hume. Fig. ii is n ,VGIi-iClll trnmveng. thmugi; (in: bfit'lnm plulse uiugnhur and the switish devinql Figs. I llflfl 8 in perflpocfive vimyo lamp suppnrbing brmkqtl n'lvd tem'miiul l Pig. 1 as :1 diagrammatic view ofth'u, tnc circuit. .2 Referring now mom pnrficuh 'tylh) drnwingri, 1 clmlgnntes Elm bodj'ior li-l' u' instrument which is i s usual, of wood, and provided ii-(Timmy marallic c n i tip: qr Tim and; mu-ries l welumd, pinmh'il'adf :u-m a and 4., camisting of bubblet] nmr nixlinary ur dmi nd 11.1111; 3 Living dimedin anneal in Hm mp nf the stock and the who P3353111? :ir chnmlimr fi in ihz' sunk. Tim tube '8 m s ia up onLth bod 11m: 1' llavi a iigiir. 1mm lug and is hel in posit-it nngnji inn-nwut by a film pli bz :Thldi iauiofltflpa H 0! HM: Flt'lli and pm ided with In {inn Fliiut m' npun'uag 10,..ihmilgl Imhbiv is i-rrprml. The tube 4: in mi sup urn-mi by 1 suspension bnwlmtifi riml by i1 mippnrting plntn '12, and rm-igvd so as $0 expose its bubble this, trauma-rm sig'ltn ning or am: y L"; pin-Is a! 11mm {mimic-bribed rwj' 0f urilizmry m prelerrmd mmtruciziim the {1:11:25 commuuly usd i1: devious; ibis.- l-iim Tn carrying :11 ih'mntinh info: I nmiiriei tlw :doci 1 with {who'll fol-111i g a inttcry chnmlm- 14 whim ninntria at its mp wlthn hmpiph :rrmngeil in nliMrmntniflMhe ing 8 in tho bed plate 7. 'I lfisf'nhn l'fliuiw |L L11) 0811 Imttbry 1 6 and *i! at its Emir by a plum 131st mm the t m the 9| min Preferably this plate pvmidmi with an npstnnding oroiiefi inn 1-! extending into tliiu 1mm pj 1h her 14 and forming an external switch re ceiving chamber 19 adapted to be closed by a hinged or pivoted cover plate 20, which conceals and protects the circuit controlling switch member from injury, as hereinafter fully described.

A second lamp chamber 21 is formed in the body of the stock in proximity to the passage 6 and communicates with said passage and the sight opening 13 through a light passage 22, arranged in alinement with the bubble center of the level 4. This chamber 21 opens through one side of the stock 1 and is closed at such 0 on side by a cover plate 23. The plates 1 and 23 are detachably secured in position so that they may be removed whenever desired to afford access to the chambers 14 and 21 for the purpose of cleaning, repairing, or replacing any of the parts of the illuminating mechanism.

Disposed within one side of the chamber 14 and retained by grooves or other holding means therein is a conductor 24 forming a contact ari'n or strip, which is disposed at its lower end in proximity to the offset 18. Integral with the upper end. of the strip and projecting at right angles therefrom is a lamp supporting arm or bracket 25 which is provided with a central coil 26 to receive and hold a lamp bulb 27. The arm 25 engages retaining grooves or recesses 28 in the stock and yieldingly supports the bulb 27 and serves to absorb shocks and jars, and also serves as a terminal which is'in constant engagement with one of the terminals of the bulb through the casing thereof. The other terminal of the bulb or lamp 2? engages a resilient contact strip 29 extending across the top of the battery 16 and connected at one end with one of the poles thereof, the free end of said strip terminating in a depending arm 30 terminating in a contact iece 31 lying at one side of the battery and etween the same and one of the side walls of the chamber 1.4. A second resilient contact strip 32 extends beneath and in parallel relation to the bottom of the battery and is fixed at one end thereto, and said strip 32 rests upon the upwardly ofiset or bowed portion 33 of a sliding switch plate or member 34, whereby the'battery is supported in position within the casing 14. t will be understood from the construction describedthat the battery will be held by the spring-pressure of the men'ibers 25, 29 and 32 between the offset portion 18 of the plate 17 and the upper wall of the chamber 14, and that these members will serve also as a cushioning and electrical contact means, whereby the battery willbe supported in proper operative relationship and at the same time protected from injury from sl'ioclts, jars or vibrations in trans mrting and depositing the instrument, etc.-

I which the contact 36 The switch plate or member 34 is provided at its opposite ends with u wardly bent contact pieces 35 and 36, an is adapted to be operated by means of a controlling slide 37 disposed within the chamber 14 on the undersidc of the late'18 and formed with a depressed portion or'boss 38 providing a finger piece whereby it may be grasped and actuated upon exposing the slide by swinging the cover plate 20 to open position. bridge plate or connecting piece 39 extends between the slide and 0 set portion 32 ot' the switch plate and is movable in a slot 40 in the plate 18, thus allowing the switch member 'to be moved longitudinally of the stock within the chamber 14.

The chamber 14 is connected with the chamber' 21 through a passage 41, and extending through said passage are insulated conducting wires 42 and 43. The Wires 42 and 43 extend at one end into the chamber 14 and are. connected with contacts 44 and 45 disposed therein, the contact 44 being normally in engagement with the contact 31 connected with one pole of the battery, while the contact 45 is adapted to be engaged by the switch contact 36 to connect it with the other pole ofthe battery and thereby establish an electric circuit through said conductors 42 and 43. The contact 35 of the switch 34'is adapted to engage the contact strip 24, whereby a circuit may be established in an obvious manner from the posi tive pole of the battery through the strip 29 to and through the lamp 27, and through the strip 24, contact 35, switch" 34, and strip 32 to the other pole of the battery, thereby causing the lamp 27 to low to illuminate the chamber 15 and the spirit level 3, as will be readily understood. The switch controlling or actuating slide 37 is provided with a punched projection 46 forming alspring locking detent adapted for engagement with looking recesses 47, 48 and 49 in the plate 18, for holdin said slide in adjusted positoo tion. When tie projection 46 engages the recess 47 the slide is at the limit ofits movement .in onedi'rection, in which position the contact 35 engages the strip 24 andcloses the circuit to light the lamp27. When. the detent 47 engages the recess 48 theslide is. at the limit of its-opposite movement; in

to close the circuit through 42 and 43 to cause a lamp 48' withinthe lamp chamber 21 to glow, lamps 27 thrown into and out of connection battery. mentwith the intermediate or central i'ecess 49 the switch will be in a central or neu: tralposition, in which the battery-circuits with the When the ,detent 37 is in engage-' the contact-45' a the conductors whereby the'ltwo and 48 may be independently will be broken and the lamps deenergized as .will be readily understoo The lamp 48 is carried. by a resilient construction and operation of bracket arm and terminal 50 having a coil 51 embracing the same and supportii'lg saidv lamp in line with the passage 22. The arm 50-is fitted in suitable retaining grooves in the smoker in the cover plate 23 and may be inounter-l-so as to be exposed by the cover plate upon removal of the latter, or may be carried by said cover plate for detachment The arm 50 is in electrical con therewith; nec'tion with'one with the conductor the lamp 'is in electrical connection with a bowed s ring terminal 52 which bears therepole of the lamp 4'8 and on and 1s connected with the conductor 43,

the pressure of said spring terminal 52ccoperatingwith the coil 51 of the arm 50 to resilientlysupport the lamp 48 in position and to orm cushioning means to take up and absorb all shocks and jars and prevent the same to the lamp, thus V transmission of preventing injury to the lamp in the handling of the tool. It will be evident from the the parts heretofore described that by moving the switch to one of its circuit closing positions the lam 27 'Willbe lighted to illuminatethe spirit love 3, while by moving the switch to its other operative position, the lamp 1-8 will be lighted to illuminate the spirit level 4;, and that when the switch is in neutral position neither lamp will be lighted. Also it will be seen that the parts are so constructed and arranged as to be wholly inclosed and shield ed from injury, while they are at the same time rcndere conveniet 'ly accessible for installation, cleaning, re replacimient, etc.

-It will thus be seen that my invention provides a combined level and plumb embodying illuminating means whereby either level may be electrically illuminated as or when desired, for convenience in using the toolfor leveling and plumbing work in dark and otherw'iseinaccessible Ilaces, and that by energizing either one o the lamps sufficicnt light may be obtained to adapt the device to serve as a. searchlight or illuminating agent for the convenience of the user in finding his way at night or in dark places or other dark passages, the advantages of which will be apparent. Furthermore, it will be seen that my invention provides a mechanics tool which is simple (if constructiont'md, while cjruliodying the crmvenicnces and :ulvanl'ngos set forth. may lwfnmnufar? tured and sold at a cost but slightly exceedinn the cost of an ordinary instrument.

llaving desm'il'icd my invention, I claim:

1. In. an illuminz'ited level. the combina tion of a stock, a battery disposed therein, resilient conducting and suppiin'ting strips disposed at the top and bottom of the battery and cmn'uwted with the poles thereof. a lamp supported in contact with one of said strips and having one of its terminals in L2, and. the other pole of and electrical connection therewith, a contact member connected with the other terminal of the lamp, and'a sliding switch movable into and out of enga ment with saidjcontact memb'erand s11 ably connected with 'the other contact and supporting strip.

2. In anyillaminated level, the combination of a stock, a. dry battery cell dispomd therein, resilient conducting and s'upporting strips disposed at the top and bottom of the battery cell and connected with the oles thereof, a lamp having one of its terminals resting in contact with the upper contact and supporting strip, a combined supporting and contact member carrying the amp and connected with the other terminal thereof, a second lamp, conductors connected therewith and provided with contacts, .he contact of one of said conductors being normally connected with the upper resilient contact and supporting strip, and a sliding SWllJClTi. member engaging the other resilient contact and supportm in reverse directions or respective contact with the supporting and contact member and the contact member of the other com ductor of'the second named lamp, for independently connecting either of said lamps, with the battery.

In an illinninated level, the combination of a stock having plate closing said chamber, said platelet inga slot therein. a slidingactuating fl rice on the outer side of saidaplate, a sliding I switch device on the inner S! e of said plate and having a connection therewith arranged to move in said slot, a battery cell disposed within the chamber and having a lower resilient supporting and contact strip connected with one of its 'poles and in sliding engagement with the switch, and having an upper resilient supporting and contact strip connected with its other ole and provided with a contact termina, a combined lamp su ')portin and contact member, a lamp supported y said member and having one of its terminals in connection therewith and its other terminal resting upon. and supported by the said upper resilient supportmg and contact strip, a second lump. conductors connected therewith and having contact terminals. one of said crmtact terminals being normally engaged with the contact terminal of the upper resilient supporting and contact strip, and a contact carried by the lower conductor arranged for coiiperation with the switch. said switch being movable in opposite directions to engage the said contact and combined lamp'supporting and contact member respectively.

4. In an illuminated level, the combination of a stock: levels carried by the stock, electric bulbs for illuminating said levels, a battery,

a chamber therein. f i

stripand movable conductors connected With the I oles of the battery, one of said conductors 6. In an illuminated level, the combina- Being normally in communication with one tion of a stock having a chambertherein, a of the terminals of each lamp, other conplate closing said chamber, a supporting and ductors connected with the other terminals contact strip having a horizontal limb and 5 of the lamps, and a switch device in slidable a vertical limb, a battery disposed within 5 engagement with the second of the two first the chamber, resilient contact strips arnamed conductors and movable in opposite ranged at the top and bottom of the battery directions for independent engagement with and connected with the respective poles 7 either of the two lastnamed conductors for thereof, a lamp supported by the horizontal 10 energizing either lamp from the battery. limb of the supporting and contact strip and 30 v 5. In an illuminated level, the coinbinain electrical'contact with one of the resilient tion of a stock, a level tube carried by the contact strips of the battery, a switch slidstock, a battery, a lamp, a plate carried by ably mounted upon the closure plate and .the stock, a switch mounted on the plate slidably engaging the other resilient contact 15 and movable to connect the lamp with or strip of the battery, and an actuating device 35 disconnect itfrom the battery, an actuating for slidably moving said switch into and out -device carried by the plate for transmitting of contact with the vertical limb of the sup- .motion to the switch, and a cover carried by porting and contact strip, the plateto normallyprotect said actuating In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

20 dance. WILLIAM HENRI ROBERTSON. 

